Weapon Training has a bring a new aspect on the battle strategies. The bearer of such abilities mostly are cards with high mana cost, and they are expensive compared in parameter with other similar cards. Among the new cards with Weapon Training, Aves Sturgis come out as the bearer from Life Splinter. Aves Sturgis is a unique one, since its a magic card (which is quite limited for Life Splinter), and it cost the least mana compared to other Weapon Training bearer. Weapon Training is a tricky ability to use. The inferior parameter made less valuable to use independently. But well positioning will turn the formation into a deadly arsenal.
| 1. Using Weapon Training, Aves Sturgis could boost the adjacent cards with 1 magic damage each. This effect looks minor and less useful for battle with high mana cap, but for battle with low mana cap, this 1 magic damage worth a lot. | 1. All bearer of Weapon Training is a legendary type card, and so does Aves Sturgis. This card is quite difficult and expensive to be obtained. |
| 2. Though this card only gained limited growth, most of them are very much have great impact. Divine Shield is much better addition for defense than having extra health or armor. The additional damage growth in the 3rd level will boost the Weapon Training effect to 2 damage. | 2. Aves Sturgis parameter are inferior compared to other cards with similar mana cost. And this aggravated with the limited progression steps and only few grant parameter growth. |
*Reference for Archetype term : Striker --> Superior Damage / Tanker --> Superior Health / Ninja --> Superior Speed / Support --> A Lot Number of Abilities. |
Not much to be discussed here since this card have very limited progression steps. Aves Sturgis have a complete but decent parameter. The 2 magic damage and 2 speed are standard for a 6 mana card; but 1 armor and 3 health are too low and render this card very vulnerable from any attacks.
The 1st progression grant Divine Shield which is very useful to block away any incoming damage of all type. This is much better than having additional health or armor, which still very vulnerable to be entirely crushed in higher mana cap and higher league battle. The 2nd progression grant an additional magic damage. This propel Aves Sturgis into an even more glass canon. But more to it with 3 magic damage, Weapon Training effect would get boosted by the round up, and thus propel the damage aura to 2 magic damage. Last but might be the least, is a Rust which reduce the armor of the opponent formation. This ability is easily substituted by other cards with such ability.
| Ruleset | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Noxious Fumes could really weigh down your formation as your non-attack cards could quickly perished and the Weapon Training effect will no longer be useful. | |
| Since Aves Sturgis is a magic card and so does the effect will grant magic attack, the Weak Magic ruleset will limit the whole formation even more. |
Here's one of my battle experience with Aves Sturgis in my formation. Click BATTLE LINK to see how the battle run.
The battle has 19 mana cap, with Aimless, Reverse Speed, and Fog Of War ruleset; with Fire and Earth Splinter cast away from being selected.
The only best way to gain most of Aves Sturgis is by deploying non-attack cards on both adjacent of it. There are quite selection some non-attack cards on Life Splinter to be select (this is much larger than other Splinter). For modern format itself, there are only 5 (five) cards, which is Warrior of Peace, Pelacor Conjurer, Truthspeaker, Evelyn Auvera, and Helmet Kharafax. The only weakness of using Aves Sturgis is its predictability. You opponent will easily predict 3 out of 6 position will be filled between those cards. The need to balance between extra Tanker and Striker are much more difficult.
For this battle I decided to put Helmet Kharafax, Aves Sturgis, and Pelacor Conjurer on the half rear position. This already cost me 10 mana, and with 5 mana remaining, I decided to put Soul Fiend and Dax Paragon to lead the frontline. Spirit Hoarder in the back row because I expect its Triage might help to mend damage to the back row.
My opponent instead decided to go with a more concentrated formation. The formation is spearheaded by Kotriphus Bayne. Its a powerful Tanker with Bloodlust ability. The next 2 (two) rows consists of Support cards. Both Venari Marksrat and Ravenwood Warden have their own abilities, and their 1 ranged damage might be minor but still powerful enough to deal consistent damage. But both of these cards will find adversity against Return Fire from Iltahin ability.
With speed buff coming from Ilthain, my formation totally fell behind due to Reverse Speed ruleset. And then Octavia Shadowmeld with its health debuff really put much pressure into my already thin health. Venari Marksrat chipping away Dax Paragon health, leaving it with 1 health remaining. Kotriphus Bayne crushed Soul Fiend and claimed its 1st Bloodlust. My formation consist of magic cards with minor damage. But due to Scattershot, the attack dispersed not only to the front row. The round end with Aves Sturgis dealing the killing blow into Ravenwood Warden.
Bayen claimed another Bloodlust following its kill against Dax Paragon. Venari Marksrat attempt to thin down the line, only to be resisted by Return Fire damage. Venari Marksrat fight have to end up when Aves Sturgis put a killing blow into it. This only propels Kotriphus Bayne to gone even stronger.
My formation are limited as Kotriphus Bayne gone stronger. But fortunately the increasing speed just turn Bayne gone slower. My formation lead the assault and deal a direct 5 damage right into Bayne's heart.
By the start of the 4th round, the fate is almost sealed for my formation, as it only need 4 damage to bring down Kotriphus Bayne. And so it turn into reality, and I did come out victorious.
My strategy did work very well, the bestowed magic damage become a supportive damage to bring down my opponent formation. But its run well since my opponent didn't put any defensive ability such as Void or Void Armor.
I'm not particularly set up with Aves Sturgis. The way this card used, it must be deployed in squad with 2 (two) non-attack cards adjacent to it. This restraint the formation with only 3 (three) cards remaining to be deployed. This make the formation become more predictable. And for high mana cap battle, its much more difficult to build a balanced formation; certainly because Weapon Training could give so much damage output.
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